Alvaro Arbeloa: Fulham reveal ex-Real Madrid boss as new head coach after Marco Silva exit

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Evening Standard

·

7 July 2026

Spaniard moves to west London after troubled stint at the Bernabeu

Fulham

have revealed ex-Real Madrid boss

Alvaro Arbeloa

as their new head coach.

The Cottagers were left rudderless when previous boss

Marco Silva

decided to leave the club upon the expiry of his contract

at the end of last season

so as to replace Jose Mourinho at Benfica

.

There was plenty of speculation as to who the west London club might hire, with names including Arne Slot and Kieran McKenna touted as potential options, but the Spaniard Arbeloa has won the race.

He has signed a three-year deal which will keep him on the banks of the Thames through the summer of 2029.

A decorated player with

Real Madrid

, Liverpool and West Ham and a World Cup winner with Spain, Arbeloa’s early forays into management have been somewhat troubled.

Alvaro Arbeloa’s only previous managerial experience came in a troubled six-month spell at Real Madrid

AFP/Getty

He got his start with Real Madrid’s B team in 2025 and was promoted to first-team head coach in January of this year following the sacking of

Xabi Alonso

Alonso has since been appointed manager of Fulham’s west London rivals

Chelsea

, whom Arbeloa will face in his first Premier League match.

His six-month spell with the club was fraught, with reports in Spain suggesting he had fallen out with several members of his squad, and the season ended trophyless.

But he will get a fresh start in the Premier League with

, who finished last season just one point adrift of the European places.

“It is a real honour for me to be embarking on this new stage at

FC, the oldest club in London,” he said via the club’s website.

“I am really looking forward to experiencing the atmosphere at Craven Cottage with

fans and beginning pre-season with the players next week. I am sure we are going to enjoy an incredible journey together.”

Fulham’s owner Shahid Khan said Arbeloa “built an exceptional case” for himself throughout interviews in June, saying: “I am delighted that Alvaro has accepted the challenge to push

forward, and I have no doubt that our squad, staff and fans will resonate with what his appointment means for the present and future of our Club.”

Fulham appoint Álvaro Arbeloa as new head coach

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🚨Bombshell: Álvaro Arbeloa is Fulham’s new manager

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